Buckle device having strap adjusting structure

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

p-00021. Field of the Invention

p-0003The present invention relates to a buckle device, and more particularly to a buckle device including a structure for allowing the strap to be easily and quickly adjusted relative to the buckle device and for allowing the strap to be easily and quickly attached onto the cargo or objects.

p-00042. Description of the Prior Art

p-0005Typical buckle devices comprise a male member and a female member detachably coupled together, and each including an aperture formed therein for strapping or engaging with a belt and for detachably coupling or attaching the buckle devices onto a user or a cargo or objects.

p-0006For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,826 to Gould, U.S. Pat. No. 6,363,590 to Lan, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,446,849 to Schleifer disclose three of the typical buckle devices each comprising a male member and a female member detachably fastened together, and the female member including a chamber for receiving the male member, and a belt or a strap coupled to the male member and the female member with frictional snubbing devices and for allowing the belt to be adjustably coupled or attached onto the user or the cargo or the objects.

p-0007However, the typical buckle devices include only an aperture formed therein for strapping or receiving the belt or the strap, but have no engaging means or device for engaging with the belt or the strap such that the belt or the strap may not be frictionally attached to the typical buckle devices and may not be adjusted relative to the buckle devices.

p-0008The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional belt buckle devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

p-0009The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a buckle device including a structure for allowing the strap to be easily and quickly adjusted relative to the buckle device and for allowing the strap to be easily and quickly attached onto the user or cargo or objects.

p-0010In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a buckle device comprising a female member including a chamber formed therein, and including a first end and a second end, a strap engaged through the chamber of the female member, a male member including two tabs extended therefrom for engaging into the chamber of the female member and for detachably coupling the female member and the male member together, and a pressing device engaged into the chamber of the female member and including a first end pivotally coupled to the female member with a pivot axle, and including a second end for engaging with the strap and for limiting the strap to move relative to the female member, and the tabs of the male member is engageable with the pressing device for forcing the pressing device to engage with the strap when the tabs of the male member are engaged into the chamber of the female member and for allowing the strap to be easily and quickly attached onto the user or cargo or objects.

p-0011The pressing device includes a plurality of teeth provided on the second end thereof for frictionally engaging with the strap. The pressing device includes a tubular member provided on the first end thereof for receiving or engaging with the pivot axle and for rotatably or pivotally coupling the pressing device to the female member.

p-0012The pressing device includes an extension extended therefrom for engaging with the female member and for forcing or pressing the second end of the pressing device to engage with the strap. The extension is extended from the first end of the pressing device. The female member includes an upper wall, and the extension of the pressing device is engageable with the upper wall of the female member.

p-0013The female member includes two side walls each having an opening formed therein for aligning with the tabs of the male member when the tabs of the male member are engaged into the chamber of the female member. The female member includes two spring blades extended into the openings of the female member and aligned with the tabs of the male member for being depressed by a user.

p-0014The strap includes a first end coupled to the male member. The first end of the pressing device may be pivotally coupled to either the first end or the second end of the female member with the pivot axle.

p-0015Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

p-0016<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> is a partial perspective view of a buckle device in accordance with the present invention;

p-0017<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> is an exploded view of the buckle device;

p-0018<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> is a cross sectional view of the buckle device taken along lines <b>3</b>-<b>3</b> of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>;

p-0019<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref> is a cross sectional view similar to <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>, illustrating the operation of the buckle device;

p-0020<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref> is a side plan schematic view illustrating the operation of the buckle device;

p-0021<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6</figref> is a side plan schematic view similar to <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref>, illustrating the other arrangement of the buckle device;

p-0022<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 7</figref> is a cross sectional view of the buckle device as shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6</figref>;

p-0023<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 8</figref> is a cross sectional view similar to <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 7</figref>, illustrating the operation of the buckle device as shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 6-7</figref>; and

p-0024<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 9</figref> is an exploded view of the buckle device as shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 6-8</figref>.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

p-0025Referring to the drawings, and initially to <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 1-3</figref>, a buckle device in accordance with the present invention comprises a female member <b>10</b> including a chamber <b>11</b> formed therein and formed or defined by an upper wall <b>12</b> and two side walls <b>13</b>, and including a notch or opening <b>14</b> formed in each of the side walls <b>13</b>, and/or partially formed in the upper wall <b>12</b>, and including a spring blade <b>15</b> extended into each of the openings <b>14</b> for being depressed by the user. A male member <b>20</b> includes two or more catches or tongues or tabs <b>21</b> extended therefrom for engaging into the chamber <b>11</b> of the female member <b>10</b> and for aligning with the openings <b>14</b> of the female member <b>10</b> and for detachably coupling the female member <b>10</b> and the male member <b>20</b> together.

p-0026A belt or strap <b>80</b> includes one end <b>81</b> coupled to the male member <b>20</b> for coupling or attaching onto the users or the cargo or the objects (not shown). The spring blade <b>15</b> of the female member <b>10</b> are aligned with the tabs <b>21</b> of the male member <b>20</b> (<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>) for allowing the tabs <b>21</b> of the male member <b>20</b> to be depressed with the spring blade <b>15</b> of the female member <b>10</b> by the user for allowing the tabs <b>21</b> of the male member <b>20</b> to be detached or disengaged from the female member <b>10</b> when the spring blades <b>15</b> are depressed by the user. Alternatively, without the spring blades <b>15</b>, the tabs <b>21</b> of the male member <b>20</b> may also be directly depressed by the user. The above-described structure is typical and will not be described in further details.

p-0027The buckle device in accordance with the present invention further comprises a pawl or pressing device <b>30</b> engaged into the chamber <b>11</b> of the female member <b>10</b>, and the pressing device <b>30</b> includes one end or first end <b>31</b> rotatably or pivotally attached or secured or coupled to the one end or first end <b>16</b> of the female member <b>10</b> with a pivot axle <b>32</b>, for example, the pressing device <b>30</b> includes a tubular member <b>33</b> formed or provided on the first end <b>31</b> for receiving or engaging with the pivot axle <b>32</b> and for pivotally attaching or coupling the pressing device <b>30</b> in the chamber <b>11</b> of the female member <b>10</b>. The other portion of the strap <b>80</b> may be engaged through the chamber <b>11</b> of the female member <b>10</b> from the one end or first end <b>16</b> of the female member <b>10</b> toward the other end or second end <b>17</b> of the female member <b>10</b> for engaging with the pressing device <b>30</b> (<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 3</figref>, <b>4</b>).

p-0028For example, the pressing device <b>30</b> includes a number of projections or teeth <b>34</b> formed or provided on the other or second end <b>35</b> thereof for engaging with the strap <b>80</b> and for limiting the strap <b>80</b> to move relative to the female member <b>10</b> and for allowing the strap <b>80</b> to be pulled or moved in the direction from the one end or first end <b>16</b> of the female member <b>10</b> toward the other end or second end <b>17</b> of the female member <b>10</b> (<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref>), and for preventing the strap <b>80</b> from being pulled or moved in the other or opposite direction from the other end or second end <b>17</b> of the female member <b>10</b> toward the one end or first end <b>16</b> of the female member <b>10</b>, and thus for allowing the strap <b>80</b> to be pulled or moved unidirectionally relative to the female member <b>10</b> only, and thus for allowing the strap <b>80</b> to be easily and quickly adjusted relative to the female member <b>10</b>.

p-0029In operation, as shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 3-5</figref>, the tabs <b>21</b> of the male member <b>20</b> may be engaged into the chamber <b>11</b> of the female member <b>10</b> and may be engaged with the pressing device <b>30</b> for forcing or pressing the teeth <b>34</b> of the pressing device <b>30</b> to engage with the strap <b>80</b> and to limit the strap <b>80</b> to move relative to the female member <b>10</b> unidirectionally, and thus for allowing the strap <b>80</b> to be easily and quickly adjusted relative to the female member <b>10</b> and to be easily and quickly attached onto the cargo or objects. It is preferable that the pressing device <b>30</b> further includes a cam or extension <b>36</b> extended therefrom, such as extended from the first end <b>31</b> thereof for engaging with the upper wall <b>12</b> of the female member <b>10</b> and for forcing or pressing the teeth <b>34</b> of the pressing device <b>30</b> to engage with the strap <b>80</b> when the tabs <b>21</b> of the male member <b>20</b> are detached or disengaged from the female member <b>10</b> (<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref>).

p-0030Alternatively, as shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 6-9</figref>, the pressing device <b>30</b> may be disposed in the opposite or different direction from that shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 1-5</figref>, and may have the first end <b>31</b> or the tubular member <b>33</b> pivotally attached or secured or coupled to the other end or second end <b>17</b> of the female member <b>10</b> with a pivot shaft <b>37</b>, and may have the other or second end <b>35</b> of the pressing device <b>30</b> disposed or extended or provided in the one end or first end <b>16</b> of the female member <b>10</b>, and the other portion of the strap <b>80</b> may be engaged through the chamber <b>11</b> of the female member <b>10</b> from the other end or second end <b>17</b> toward the one end or first end <b>16</b> of the female member <b>10</b>.

p-0031The teeth <b>34</b> of the pressing device <b>30</b> may also be forced to depress the strap <b>80</b> and to limit the strap <b>80</b> to move relative to the female member <b>10</b> and for allowing the strap <b>80</b> to be pulled or moved in the direction from the other end or second end <b>17</b> toward the one end or first end <b>16</b> of the female member <b>10</b>, and for preventing the strap <b>80</b> from being pulled or moved in the other or opposite direction from the one end or first end <b>16</b> toward the other end or second end <b>17</b> of the female member <b>10</b>, and thus for allowing the strap <b>80</b> to be pulled or moved unidirectionally relative to the female member <b>10</b> only, and for preventing the strap <b>80</b> from being pulled or moved in the other or opposite direction, and thus for allowing the strap <b>80</b> to be easily and quickly adjusted relative to the female member <b>10</b>.

p-0032Accordingly, the buckle device in accordance with the present invention includes a structure for allowing the strap to be easily and quickly adjusted relative to the buckle device and for allowing the strap to be easily and quickly attached onto the user or cargo or objects.

p-0033Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.